Top Ten | DL Names to Start 2009 MLB Season

    With spring training underway and the World Baseball Classic in full swing, one big name has just decided to go under the knife — or should we say scope. In honor of A-Rod's arthroscopic hip surgery, which will have him out of pinstripes for 6-9 weeks, here are the top 10 guys you may not have realized have yet to trot out onto the turf this spring.

10. Jake Westbrook: The nine-year veteran was enjoying a sensational start to last season —  a 2.73 ERA in four April starts — before an elbow injury forced him to undergo the infamous Tommy John surgery. Westbrook is not expected back until the second half of the summer, when he could play an important role down the stretch for the Cleveland Indians.

9. Ervin Santana: The Angels All-Star right-hander will open the season on the disabled list with an elbow injury. Santana posted his best season thus far in his young career in 2008 with a 16-7 record, 214 strikeouts and a 3.49 ERA.

8. Ben Sheets: The Milwaukee Brewers hurler had surgery in February, repairing the common flexor tendon in his elbow, and he will be back in August. He will be looking to continue on last year's success, which included a 13-9 record and a 3.09 ERA. Sheets is currently a free agent, and he will most likely try to hook on with a contending team upon his return.
7. Tim Hudson: This two-time All-Star finds himself stuck on the 60-day disabled list with a bum elbow. Hudson is working his way back from Tommy John surgery performed last August, and we will not see him back on the field for the Braves until late July.

6. Jeff Francis: This Canadian pitcher is gone until the 2010 season. He rode a 4.22 ERA and a regular season 17-9 record all the way to the 2007 World Series. And despite going 2-0 in the postseason prior to its finale, Francis blew up in his only Series appearance, giving up six earned runs and 10 hits over four innings. His Game 1 failures foreshadowed an abysmal 4-10 record and 5.01 ERA in 2008, and now a torn labrum in his shoulder will keep him sidelined until next year.

5. Vernon Wells:  Despite a rough 2007 campaign, the Blue Jays centerfielder put together a respectable season with 20 home runs, 78 RBI and a .300 average. But Wells did miss 54 games last season, and the question that remains is his durability. Predictably, Wells is already battling a sore hamstring this spring training.

4. B.J. Upton: A torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder could have him missing opening day. The speed and power of Upton was seen best in his performance with the Rays during their improbable postseason run to the World Series. In just 66 postseason at-bats in 2008, Upton crushed seven home runs and had 16 RBI while scoring 16 runs of his own.

3. Troy Glaus:  Since undergoing shoulder surgery in January, the Cardinals resident of the hot corner has been working his way back to full strength. Glaus has only recently begun to swing a bat, however, and we can expect him to be out until mid-April.

2. Chase Utley: A three-time All-Star and the game's best-hitting second baseman, Utley will be out of action until at least mid-March, thanks to offseason hip surgery. The career Phillie has recorded over 500 at-bats in each of the past four seasons, and that consistency should allow him to approach 1,000 hits by season's end.

1. Joe Mauer:  The reigning AL batting champion is still reeling from kidney surgery performed in December. Mauer will undergo further tests today and remains out indefinitely with lingering back pain as a result of the surgery. Last season Mauer led all AL hitters with a .328 average, knocking 176 hits while he was at it.